Elvis Lopeti
28, dancer & TikTok star
What’s your secret to making the final six?
I don’t think there is one! Every day that came, I just played the game and hoped to still be there the next day.
What has been your proudest moment on the show so far?
Holding it together… Nah, just kidding! Winning $5000 and making some noise for my chosen charity, Sisters United.
What has been your most difficult moment?
Missing all my family and friends back at home. I’m surrounded by a great group of people who push me, so I hoped I was making everyone proud. Another hard part was digging myself under the log in the sand because I was too big to fit!
What has been your biggest regret?
I wish I’d followed my instincts more and had a little bit more fun because I was always trying to figure out a plan of what to do next.
Who has been the toughest competition?
Jesse because he’s fit and can outrun me. But if it comes down to a UFC fight, I’ll give him a good whack – love you, Jesse!
What’s something that we haven’t see on screen?
I don’t think they showed the part where me and Jesse had to use a spade to dig a hole in the ground to go for a s**t. Too much information?
What have you learned about yourself on Treasure Island?
I’ve learnt how to sit in my feelings alone, which was very therapeutic. I’ve also learnt that I can push myself to my limits and how strong I actually am. Thank you, CTI – it’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Courtenay Louise
28, Shortland Street actress
What’s your secret to making it to the final six?
Trust no one! So I’m very sorry, but I won’t be able to share my secret.
What has been your proudest moment on the show so far?
The endurance challenge in episode four, where I ran up and down the beach nonstop for over an hour. Before this challenge, I was in such a heavily male-dominated field, I felt weak at times. But this reminded me that I’m strong and can do whatever I put my mind to.
What’s been your most difficult moment?
There are so many, it’s hard to narrow it down, but I think the most difficult would be coming into the merged camp and Jesse Tuke being aligned with three very powerful other players. I had to make the choice of aligning myself with them or taking them out.
What’s been your biggest regret?
Playing too much with my heart. I need to be more cutthroat!
Who is your toughest competition?
Jesse. Need I say more? I’m rolling my eyes right now.
What’s something that we haven’t seen on screen?
A fun moment viewers didn’t see was one night at Camp Mangō, when we stayed up late and sang our hearts out doing karaoke. It was such a carefree, pure and fun moment.
Jesse Tuke
30, sports commentator
What’s your secret to making it to the final six?
Genuinely, just having fun. The game is intense and crazy, so being able to have a smile and a laugh keeps you going.
What has been your proudest moment on the show so far?
Being able to talk about my charity, Live Ocean Foundation, and the incredible work they do. Winning money for them by doing the slug [dance move] was a real highlight.
What has been your most difficult moment?
Going up against Ron Cribb in the elimination battle felt like a lose-lose situation – win and I knock out my mate, but lose and I go home.
What’s been your biggest regret?
Becoming the kaiurungi or navigator came with the traitor tag and has made me play the game in a way that I didn’t really want to.
Who has been your toughest competition?
Courtenay! She’s the ultimate competitor.
What’s something that we haven’t see on screen?
Being blindfolded the whole day by Bree Tomasel and having to bury the treasure was a real highlight, especially re-enacting that scene from Titanic and subsequently falling over. But I must say taking a pee while blindfolded on a beach is quite the unnerving experience.
What have you learned about yourself on Treasure Island?
That “Big Booty” is my favourite game – after Treasure Island, that is!
Dame Susan Devoy
58, former squash champion
What’s your secret to making the top six?
Telling everyone I wanted to go home, which was true, so they never saw me as a threat and didn’t put me up for elimination.
What has been your proudest moment on the show?
Waking up every day, fighting the exhaustion and still giving everything 100%.
What has been your most difficult moment?
The water challenge after the big storm. I have a fear of being in the sea, so having to swim that day just made me want to cry.
What is your biggest regret?
I should have never believed Jesse about the treasure and should’ve pushed him further for the truth. He is such a great fibber.
Who is your toughest competition?
Jesse because he is so physically capable and super-confident.
What have you learned about yourself on Treasure Island?
Not much, really, apart from the fact that I am far more direct and blunt than I ever realised. But it is who I am and I’m too old to change now. I’ve felt really old at times and it frustrates me knowing that I could have kept up in my former life, but age is just a number and attitude counts for a lot.
Cam Mansel
30, ZM radio star
What’s your secret to making the top six?
I’d like to pretend it was my skill that’s kept me in, but truth be told, I’ve never been put into the elimination arena, so either I’m super-lucky or I make alliances with the right people!
What has been your proudest moment on the show so far?
Making the top six! I never in a million years imagined I’d be in the game this long.
What has been your most difficult moment?
There has been some pretty hectic weather and those huts are definitely not waterproof. Sleeping in a damp sleeping bag really isn’t a highlight!
What has been your biggest regret?
If I had my time on the island again, I would pay more attention to the monolith and what’s inside it. That whole thing went over my head!
Who has been your toughest competition?
Courtenay is so fierce, driven, and mentally and physically strong. She has everything you need to take this competition out.
What’s something that we haven’t seen on screen?
Dame Susan disappears on these early morning walks and finds all sorts of things, like newspapers and a deck of cards. At one point, she even got us a pack of coffee. You have to give her credit for her stealth.
What have you learned about yourself on Treasure Island?
The whole experience has been the wildest learning curve. The main thing is that I need to stop doubting myself so much. If you’re always telling yourself you can’t do something, you’ll never complete the task at hand.
Siobhan Marshall
40, actress & filmmaker
What’s your secret to making the final six?
Um, I have no idea how I made it this far. But I like it!
What has been your proudest moment on the show so far?
I really liked the team challenge where we had to untie the ropes that were attached to the boxes. I directed my team on that one and I think I kicked arse!
What has been your most difficult moment?
Being away from Mills [husband Millen Baird] and my two kids.
What has been your biggest regret?
Not backing myself and stepping up to become captain.
Who has been your toughest competition?
All of them! But Jesse brings out my competitive side, for sure. Also, Courtenay’s tenacity is equal parts scary and inspiring!
What’s something that we haven’t seen on screen?
We all had our down moments, but the funniest was Cam Mansell’s. He was a bit down in the dumps, so Dame Susan Devoy and I tried to see if he was OK. He replied, “I just want to pick up rubbish on the beach.” But there was hardly any rubbish, so it was a difficult task. We all had a few giggles about that. Love you, Cam!
What have you learned about yourself on Treasure Island?
So much! That I’m better at some stuff than I thought and that I can be a bit self-critical. It’s made me realise I can do anything if I want to. We are all amazing!
